Trackin' Trucks: Kaz Grala wins at Daytona in wild finish

Grala joins the few drivers that have won at Daytona from the pole position.

Credit: Getty Images

by Courtney Horn

Kaz Grala claimed the season opening Camping World Truck Series victory Friday night at Daytona International Speedway, becoming the youngest winner in series history at Daytona.

The 18-year-old avoided The Big One on the last lap that collected several trucks and sent Matt Crafton airborne. The wreck began after Ben Rhodes made contact with his teammate and was sent spinning, collecting Crafton, Timothy Peters and defending NCWTS champion, Johnny Sauter.

"That was freaking awesome! I can't believe we won Daytona," Grala said in Victory Lane. "I couldn't see a lot there. I knew it was a little bit risky. It was the last lap, and we had to do what we had to do.”

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 29 Ford, finished third after being involved in the first accident of the night on Lap 2. Briscoe tapped Noah Gragson in Turn 2 and collected 17 trucks, eight of which couldn’t return because of significant damage.

“Felt like the 29 hit me in the wrong part of the bumper going through the tri-oval,” Gragson said, “It just got me loose, and it got pointed into the outside wall.”

Christopher Bell salvaged an eighth-place finish after being involved in three wrecks, one of which also sent the Kyle Busch Motorsports driver flying.

Sauter claimed Stages 1 and 2, but on Lap 95 John Hunter Nemecheck brought out the caution that created a two-lap finish. Nemechek finished fourth, one position ahead of his father Joe Nemechek. Sauter was credited with a 15th-place finish.A Look Ahead

The Truck Series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend on March 4th, where one year ago John Hunter Nemechek was victorious. Can Nemechek defend his win or will a rookie will claim a victory early?